Tubing stripper



Aug. 16, 19270 1,639,209

. l. c. BELL TUBING STRIPPER Original Filed Oct. 4, 192

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 16, 1927 1,639,209

I. c. BELL TUBING STRIPPER Original Filed 001 1, 1924 Z Sheets-Sheet 2' '5' A @szewa 3M IVAN o. BELL, or

PATENT OFFICE.

minus, TEXAS, assrenon r rm: eursnnson DALLAS, "rnxas, a coaroaarron or DELAWARE.

CORPORATION, 01!

TUBIN G STRIPPER.

Application fled ootober 4.1924, Serial No. 741,772. Renewed October 4, 1926.

My invention relates to packers for closing the upper end of a casing about the well tubing in handling pipe, particularly while it is being introduced into or removed from 6 the well in deep well operations.

While withdrawing tubing from wells in which there is a certain amount of 'surc,diflicult is frequently experienced, due to the fact t at the fluid will be forced up with the gas and the tubing and will be thrown upon the derrick platform, and upon the operators handling the pipe. Even in wells in which very little gas pressure is present there is oil upon the pipe and there may be a thick layer. oi oil. and mud tending to obstruct the proper handling of the joints of tubing.

It is an ob'ect of my invention to provide a packer to e used in connection with the ordinary type of casing head and adapted to fit about the pipe whlch is being handled in such manner as to prevent the escape of oil or other li uid and gas from the well. It is also inten ed to wipe the pipe clean of oil or mud so that the pipe may be more readily handled as it is removed. I

Another object is to provide a packerof the type described which will allow the removal of the ipe from the well and revent' the escape 0 gas in such-manner t at the gas may be carried off laterally through p'pes connected with the casing headand thereby saved.

Another object is to provide a packer to be used with casing'heads which may, be easily is operating'in the wel with a minlmumof manipulation. Other objects and advan tages, and the means by which thesaid objects are accom lished, will more clearly appearfrom the escription which follows.

Referring to the drawings herewith, Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the packer embodying my invention, the tubin being shownin section. Fig. 2 is a centre longitudinal section through a casing head and pzcker embodying my invention, the pi e ing shown 1n elevation. Fig. 3 is a si e view of the said acker, certain parts of the casing head being hroken away for greater clearness. Fig. 4 is a bottom'plan view of the packer and Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the plane 55 of Fig 3.

In i 2, my device is shown in combina- 1 tion witii a casing head 1 of ordinary congas pres; v

'for the two halves of the bushing. In this and quickly ap lied ,to the pipe as it struction secured at the upper end of the casing 2, and having a plurality of lateral pipes 3 connected therewith for carrying off gas or'other fluid coming from the well.

A tubing 4 of the usual construction having a coupling 5 thereon, is shown within the casing and extending above the casing head. For use while this tubing is being raised from or lowered into the well, and particularly while it is being taken from the well, I have provided a packer for closing the space between the casing head and the tubing to prevent the passage of fluid from the upper end of. said casing head. i

This packer is adapted for use in combination with a bushing 6 cylindrical in general outline and having a radial flange 7 at its lower end to be engaged below set screws 8 in-theupper end of the casing head to hold the bushing in the seat 9 ordinarily present in the usual construction of casing heads.

A somewhat larger radial flange 10 is formed at the upper end of the bushing to provide for an inner seat 11 to take the place of the seat 9 of the casing head when the bushing is in position. This seat is left open to receive a bushing for pipe supporting slips or other means usually employed in handling p p As shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 4, the bushing is split longitudinally into two sections and cooperating lugs 12 and 13 on the two halves forming the bushing are adapted to receive a vertical pin 14 forming a pivot manner the bushing is hinged about the pin 14 and may swing open on that point. The opposite sides of the two cooperating parts are formed with spaced lugs .15 and 16 projecting-laterally from the two halves of the bushing. On the lug 15 a latch member 17 is hinged upon a pin 18. The head 19 of the said latch is adapted to fit between the upper and lower halves of the lug 16 when the bushing is in closed position so as to assist in holding the bushing closed. This form of latch is an old one, not forming an essential part of my invention. Adjacent the lower end of the bushing 6 is an inwardly projecting flan e 20 leaving an o ening 21 within the bus in throu h which the tubing may easily pass. elow t e flange 20 is formed a seat 22-for the up end of the flexible packing sleeve or tu P mg stripper 23. p

The said packing sleete has an upper head 24 fitting within the seat 22., Below the head at bolts or screws 27 shown in Fig. 3. A pluralitv of these bolts .are secured through openings in the ring 26, through the head 24 of the packer, and screwed within the flange of the bushin Below the securing means thus provided, t e outer face of the bushin 1 is tapered downwardly to its lower en diameter of the The inner face of the packing sleeve is of larger diameter than the tubing except at its upper end at 28 andagain adjacent the lower end at 29. At these two points the inner acking sleeve is ada ted to engage against t e outer surface of t e tubing and because of its flexible construction, will allow the passage of couplings 5 therethrough without allowing the escape of fluid around the tubing. Below the packing surface 29 the inner surface of the sleeve is beveled outwardly at 30 to receive the coupling and the same beveled-surface is provided at the upper and lower ends of each of the packing faces 28 and 29.

The packing sleeve: may be made of rubber or of wear-resisting flexiblecomposition,

and T preferably form the meeting edgesof I the two halves of the packer sleeve with ofiset jointed faces, as shown at 31 in Fig. 5. It will be noted that these two parts interfit in such manner that the two halves are interchangeable. This will allow for the spreading of the two halves of the packer as the couplings are drawn through the same without allowing leakage of fluid laterally.

The two halves of the acker thus formed may, if desired, be held rmly and resiliently together by means of springs 32, one on each of thehalves of the packing sleeve. As shown'in Figs. 3 and 4, these springs are secured through 0 enings in the ring 26 at the upper ends an are extended downwardly along the tapered surface and have a curved section 33 hearing against the sleeve near the lower end. Said springs are under compression to hold the parts of the sleeves together but will allow a certain lateral play to accommodate the passage of the pipe couplings. I contemplate dowel pins 34 between the meeting facesof the bushing to assist in holding the parts of the bushing in. registered position in an obvious manner.

In the operation of my device the packer may be easily fitted about the tubing and secured within already described, and when in this position, the tubing may be raised or lowered without allowing the passage of fluid between the tubin and the casing head. While coming out o .the well the pipe may be drawn ,up-

the collars on saidv tubing, the caslng head in the manner.

wardly through the packer which will allow the collar 5 of the tubin to pass therethrough without allowing t e The packing faces 28 and 29 are spaced apart so that the packer will be engaging the face of the tubin itselfat one point at all times. After the co pling has passed, the packing sleeve will hold resiliently in position, thus preventin theescape of gas.

It will e noted also that the packeris so designedthat the gas pressure will assist in maintaining a close fit about the tubing and that this assistance will be most positive, the greater the pressure of the, gas or oil. This shaping an positioning of my packer whereby the gas orliquid pressure helps in maintaining a tight'olosureis an important feature of-my invention.

It will" be noted that the pipe will be wiped free of oil and mudas it issues irom the well, and'imay be easilyvhandled without inconvenience. Gas or other fluid which might escape from the upper end of the casing about the tubing may, if desired, find an exit through the lateral pipes 23 in any manner desired.

escape of fluid. I

The advantages of this construction will be obvious to those skilled'in the art without further descriptionf What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patcut is: Y

1. In combination a pipe therein, a packer comprising a bushing, means to secure said'bushing in said casing head, a packing sleeve of. com ressible material secured to and carried wit in said bushing and spaced from said casing head, and means to hold ently against said pipe.

2; In combination with a casing head and a pipe therein, a packer fitting in said casing. head comprising a bushing longitudinally divided into two parts, means to hold said parts together, a divided packing sleeve, and means to secure said sleeve to said bushing, said sleeve extending downwardly and spaced from said casing head about the tubing, whereby fluid pressure in said casing head will hold the sleeve resiliently against said pipe.

with a casing head and said packing sleeve res1l1- 3. In combination with a casing head, a

a bushing fitting between a fluid-tight fittherewith, said packing sleeve having a bore formed to allow the passage in both directions therethrough of the lower end of said sleeve havinga portion in continuous circumferential contact with said tubing and held in such contact by the fluid pressure of the fluid in the casing head around said sleeve.

4. In combination with a casing head, a

' sleeve.

tubing therein, and a hinged bushingsecured detachably in said casing head, of a lon tudinally divided downwardly tapered pac ing sleeve below said bushing, means to secure said sleeve to said bushing, and means to allow a limited expansion of said packing sleeve in the manner described.

5. In combination with a casing and a pipe extending therethrough, of a bushin on said casing, a packing sleeve in sai bushing about said pipe, and spaced inwardly-extending ribson said sleeve presenting cylindrical surfaces held resiliently against said pipe, said ribs being positioned apart to contact with the said pipe to maintainoa tight closure at One point at least, when a collar on said pipe is forced through said 6. A packer for casing heads comprising a bushing adapted to seat in said casing head and allow the passage of tubing therethrough, a packing sleeve secured in fluid tight relation to said bushing, and plurality of spaced cylindrical faces on the inner periphery of said sleeve shaped to fit said tubing at spaced points thereon and adapted to expand a limited amount in the manner described.

7. A packer for attachment to a divided bushing in a casing head comprising, a downwardly extending divided sleeve within said casing head, spaced inner cylindrical faces on said sleeve to contact at each end with; the tubing, and means to secure the sleeve to said bushing.

8. A packer of the character described comprising a bushing, and a flexible packing sleeve secured within the bushing and provided with a depending flexible gripping portion free from exterior contact and having its lower edge terminating in a continuous annulus for forming a fluid tight joint with a pipe when the depending portion of the sleeve is subjected to external fluid pressure.

,9. A packer of the character described comprising a split bushing having its members hinged together and provided with suitable fastening means, a split sleeve having its members secured in the divided portions of the bushing, said sleeve having overlapping contacting edges and also being provided with a depending flexible gripping portion free from exterior contact and having its lower edge terminating in a continuous annulus for forming a fluid tight joint with a pipe when the depending ortion of the sleeve is subjected to external uid pressure.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aifix my signature this.26th day of September, A. D. 1924.

IVAN c. BELL. 

